“Kneel!” His voice crashed through the broken jade pillars like thunder splitting stone. Emperor Rong Zhen stood above them, his eyes were filled with disdain. That was the gaze of a man who saw them all as nothing but irritating beasts beneath his feet. Beside him, his daughter sat upon one of the throne chairs, Kaien could see a trace of disgust curling on her lips. They made eye contact for a brief second, he could see her mocking smile clearly. Then she looked elsewhere like he wasn’t worth more than another minute glance. Kaien stood among the corpses of his kin, the throne of Spirits now stained red. His father, Emperor Li Fengxian of the Yuehua Dynasty was on his knees, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. His mother, Empress Han Yuyan, had been bound in soul-suppressing chains of black iron. But Li Kaien, the Crown Prince of Yuehua did not kneel. Even as a hundred armored soldiers of Chiyan surrounded him and the ancestral qi of their bloodline was sealed by forbi

“If you want to rise again,” he growled, gaze burning through the void, “you must find me. All of me. Together with the fragments lie parts of your cultivation too.” “How many fragments must I find for us to become whole again?” The forest rumbled faintly. “Seven.” “Seven?” Kaien echoed. “Each sealed by trial. You will not reclaim them easily. Each piece holds a portion of my qi… and your own. Without them, you are incomplete. Your cultivation path is shattered. Your soul is unstable. You will never reach your true form.” Kaien closed his eyes, jaw clenched. He looked back at Moonfang. “I’ll find them,” he said. “No matter what.” The wolf said nothing. Then the forest vanished. Kaien left the void and his body regained its consciousness, He could feel it and the qi… it was different now.. They had arrived. The sect. Though he was still being carried, he could feel the stone beneath them now. Pathways carved into the mountain, torches burning with flame-touched qi, disciples

He waved a hand, and a disciple entered from outside. “Take him to the infirmary to recover a little then after that take him to the outer disciple quarters. Assign him to low-tier duties.” “Yes, Sect Leader.” Kaien bowed deeply, concealing the fire in his chest. The outer disciple quarters? He’d been reduced to nothing but it was only a matter of time before he regained his former glory. He would find that fragment. And then? He’d restore some of his lost cultivation. He followed the disciple out while Liwei looked at him pitifully. The infirmary was quiet, its white curtains swaying with the faint mountain wind. The disciple guiding him barely spared a glance in his direction as he gestured toward an empty cot. “Stay here. The physician will come soon.” Kaien nodded once, biting back the weight of humiliation swelling in his chest. He sat on the edge of the cot, wincing as pain resurged through his side. His ribs were hurting badly, and the injuries got a bit worse after

The dawn of the hunt arrived like a blade drawn in silence. The sky above Tianxuan glowed with pale white. Everywhere was filled with nervous qi, excitement, fear and ambition. Kaien stood near the back of the formation quiet and unnoticed by most. Ahead of them, high on a carved platform, stood Elder Jinhai, flanked by two jade-robed disciples holding a lacquered box. “Today marks the start of the Southern Ravine Spirit Hunt,” Jinhai announced, his voice was deep and calm. “Your task is simple: hunt, collect cores, survive or not,” he said sarcastically. He opened the box with a wave of his hand, revealing dozens of glowing bronze tokens—each etched with a unique inscription and rimmed in silver. “These are your spirit hunt tokens. They will track your merit. Each beast core you offer it will be recorded. And should you fall or lose consciousness, the token will shatter and mark your place for recovery—if recovery is possible.” There was another round of murmurs. “Top three ea

The Spirit Devourer’s claws slammed into the earth again, kicking up soil and shattered bark. His eyes narrowed. It’s close by. He felt its presence even more than before. He had to move. He had to leave them. He turned toward the group mid-fight. “You guys, it’s me that it wants!” he shouted over the crashing limbs and clashing steel. “Quickly—go!” “No way!” Lan Yiran yelled, voice filled with defiance. “We’re not leaving you behind!” “You don’t understand!” he snapped. “You can’t beat this thing—not like this. Just go. Get more help instead. Hurry up!” They hesitated for a breath too long. Then Han Xuyi nodded grimly. “Fall back! Everyone move!” The others fled through the mist, dragging Ping An with them. And he was alone. Just him. And the beast. It lunged again. He ducked low, flipping backward across a slick root, barely missing another swipe. His energy was draining fast. His arms ached. His balance staggered. He was way too weak. Then he remembered. The talisma